Finding the best whitening mouthwash can be a hassle. There are a lot of products that either don’t whiten your teeth at all or use harsh, harmful chemicals to do so.
However, if you want to brighten your smile, using whitening mouthwash is one of the best options. It freshens your breath and can be incorporated into your daily life easily—you’ll be reminded to use it whenever you’re in your bathroom.
Also, teeth whitening strips and UV light devices can require too much prep work to build a consistent routine. But the most stable option for whitening your teeth safely is through consistent work.
I rounded up some of the best whitening mouthwashes that deliver results reasonably quickly and are well-reviewed. However, remember to keep your oral sensitivity in mind while browsing!
It may seem obvious, but it’s still important to remember that everybody has different gum health and can react differently to the same products. I hope my reviews can help you make the right choice for your needs!
Shop my recommended best whitening mouthwash:
7 Best Whitening Mouthwashes for Confident Smiles
1. Crest Pro-Health Advanced Whitening Mouthwash
This mouthwash will remove surface stains while strengthening your enamel, as all good whitening mouthwashes should. It achieves this effect by primarily having glycerin in its active ingredients.
Glycerin strips the enamel in your teeth of moisture so that the bleaching agents can remove the stains on the surface of your teeth.
However, glycerin is not strong enough to linger on your teeth, so there’s no need to worry about the myth of how glycerin is bad for you. In fact, gargling with plain water or even your saliva will easily remove it.
This Crest mouthwash prevents cavities using fluoride since it also strengthens your enamel. This allows you to maintain a bright smile for longer.
Its energizing mint flavor will kill germs and bad breath while leaving a refreshing, cool sensation in your mouth. However, the product is alcohol-free to ensure that there is no burning feeling when you use it.
2. Listerine Ultraclean
If you’re familiar with Listerine’s brand, you might’ve heard that Listerine Healthy White used to be their bestselling whitening mouthwash. But Listerine recently discontinued their whitening series.
Instead, they created an alternative product that is even better than Healthy White. In fact, the Healthy White product page explicitly directs you to the Ultraclean mouthwash.
Not only is this product approved by the American Dental Association, but it also includes tons of benefits regarding gum and teeth health on top of having whitening effects.
This mouthwash protects against plaque buildup and gingivitis germs, which automatically co-treats gum inflammation. It also contains a strong anti-tartar ingredient which will keep tooth decay at bay.
The product is better for the planet since its packaging is recyclable while also being waterway safe. Listerine took inspiration from nature to make the mouthwash with essential oils such as thymol, eucalyptus, methyl, and methyl salicylate.
The combination of these ingredients naturally freshens breath with a cool mint flavor.
3. ACT Whitening + Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash
Every time I look for this product, there’s always one store that’s out of stock because of how popular this product is. If that doesn’t tell you how well this works, I don’t know what does!
After all, this is the #1 dentist-recommended fluoride brand among OTC mouth rinses, with promised results in as little as 4 days. But despite having such strong results, the formula is alcohol and dye-free.
Rather than bleaching your teeth just for appearance’s sake, it efficiently cleanses the surface of your teeth. ACT uses ingredients like sodium fluoride to prevent cavities while using glycerin for a brightening effect.
This mouthwash also strengthens enamel by remineralizing soft spots in your teeth up to 4x its original state. By rebuilding the protective layer of your teeth, the ACT mouthwash seals the whitened teeth into place.
4. Colgate Optic White Whitening Mouthwash
The Colgate mouthwash seals out any future stains with its alcohol-free, hydrogen peroxide formula.
Hydrogen peroxide is highly efficient at whitening teeth, but a high dosage may pose a risk to your teeth. That’s why the mouthwash only contains 2% hydrogen peroxide.
However, if you are looking for extremely fast results, using this mouthwash with their Optic White Advanced toothpaste can whiten your teeth immediately after your first use. That being said, you do not need to get the toothpaste with the mouthwash to see results.
The mouthwash also doesn’t contain ethanol (or any alcohol, for that matter). This is an especially good thing because ethanol can cause a burning feeling in your mouth despite it being efficient at killing germs.
Also, numerous studies have concluded that using alcohol-based mouthwashes too often can contribute to oral cancer due to their abrasive nature. Every single one of the mouthwashes on my list is alcohol-free, so no worries!
5. Amazon Basics Whitening Mouthwash
This product was previously called Solimo Whitening Mouthwash but was rebranded to Amazon Basics since it is an Amazon exclusive.
It’s well known for its affordable price and great value, so it’s consistently ranked in the top 100 products for mouthwashes on Amazon.
It contains 32 fluid ounces and has glycerin and hydrogen peroxide to eliminate the bacteria that cause bad breath. They also use castor oil which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that works well with the sodium nitrate used to reduce oral sensitivity.
The mouthwash boasts having a clean mint flavor which is supported by the numerous reviews that state that the mint is not super strong or overpowering. If you want a product that whitens without fuss, this is the one.
6. Essential Oxygen Certified BR Organic Brushing Rinse
This mouthwash is all-natural, with an emphasis on using food-grade hydrogen peroxide, aloe, and organic essential oils. They don’t use any alcohol, sugars, or sodium laurel sulfate in their formula to ensure no gum irritation or any other burning sensation.
Their dedication to being natural ensures that their formula is NON-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free. That means that there was no animal testing whatsoever and that they also have BPA-free packaging.
Not only are they certified Organic by the National Organic Program, but Essential Oxygen is also a woman-owned brand! They dedicate part of their profit toward programs like LA homeless welfare resources, Autism Speaks, Vitamin Angels, and many more communities.
7. SNOW Strawberry Mojito Whitening Mouthwash
If you want an option that promises both performance and fun, or you’re just tired of mint, you might like Snow’s Strawberry Mojito mouthwash.
But unlike the popular mint staples, this product is all about tasting like a strawberry mojito and revolutionizing mouthwash!
The mouthwash is recommended to be used twice a day and works well even if you use it before brushing your teeth. Their formula has hydrogen peroxide for whitening and aloe vera to provide relief for any potential irritation.
SNOW is a try-and-tested brand that has won multiple awards from NEW BEAUTY, CQ, Beauty Innovation, and more. SNOW has even been featured both on the Ellen Show and LA Times.
Whitening your teeth at home using mouthwash is a safe and cheap option that will improve your oral health. We smile when we’re our happiest, so we deserve to feel confident doing so!
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FAQs
Yes, mouthwash with whitening ingredients like hydrogen peroxide will strip away surface stains to gradually whiten teeth.
Using hydrogen peroxide every day in small quantities at a time is perfectly fine. Make sure to read the label for each product to see how long you should be keeping the mouthwash in your mouth.
While some products may have quick-acting effects, it may take several weeks for the effect to be permanent or fairly visible.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
